Knockdown crate



H. 0'. HYATT Q KNOOKDOWN GRATE.

(No Modal.)v

o. 417,561. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

/5 w ZW/? Q V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRY OTIS I-IYATT, OF KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA,

KNOCKDOWN cRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,561, dated December17, 1889.

Application filed July 8, 1889- Serial No. 316,841. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY OTIS HYATT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kinston, in the county of Lenoir and State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit andVegetable Crates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon;

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cratesof that class known as knockdown crates, designed for use in thetransportation of fruits, vegetables, and the like.

It has for its object to provide a crate of this character by the use ofwhich fruits and vegetables can be transported without injury to thefruit, and which may be readily collapsed when desired.

The invention consists in the peculiarities of construction and thecombinations, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fullyhereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon,form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved crate set up ready for use. Fig. 2 is a like view of one of theheads, the key, and portions of. the securing-slats.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates theheads of the crate, which heads are formed around their peripheries withnotches a, of proper size to receive the slats B, which form the body ofthe crate. These slats may be of any suitable material, and are roundedon their inner sides, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, at the topthereof, above the head, to prevent bruising of the fruit. These slatsnear their ends are provided with the transverse grooves b,

as shown, to receive the edge of the heads between the notches when theparts are put together. The securing-slatsO are similar to the slats B,except that at their edges they are provided with the notches 0. Thesesecuring-slats are designed to fit within an enlarged notch cl in theperiphery of the heads,

the side notches in said slats engaging thelugs 8 between the saidlarger notch and the adjacent notches.

D is the key, preferably wedge-shaped, there being two employed0ne atthe top and one at the bottomas shown in Fig. 1.

E are the hoops or bands.

In pratice the heads are placed the proper distance apart, and the slatsB placed in the notches in the heads, the grooves 19 engaging the edgeof the heads between the notches. The securing-slats are then placed inposition, as shown in Fig. 1, the bands placed over the ends of theslats and heads, and the keys are forced in between the twosecuringslats, pressing them outward when their side notches engage theadjacent lugs, and thus the parts are all bound firmly together. Thebands may be secured to the slats by means of nails, staples, or othermeans, if desired.

WVhen it is desired to place fruit in the crate or to get at what theremay be inside, it is only necessary to drive out the keys, push thesecuringslats together till they are freed from their engagement withthe lugs on the heads and then slide them endwise. bands will hold thecrate from collapsing.

The slats being rounded upon their inner sides, as hereinbeforedescribed, allow the fruit, when shaken down, to arrange itself byfalling into place without the sharp edges or corners of the slatscutting into or otherwise injuring the fruit, and when the crate isfilled it will allow of rough handling without danger of bruising thefruit.

What I claim as new is 1. The combinaticn,with the notched heads, of theslats having grooves at their ends, the securing-slats, and the keyswhich enter between and force the securing-slats into engagement withthe notched head, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the notched heads, the slats having transversegrooves at their ends engaging the notches in the head, thesecuriug-slats having side notches, and the keys which enter between andforce the securing-slats in place, as set forth.

3. The combination,with the notched heads,

The

the slats having transverse grooves at their ends to engage the notchedhead, the securing-slats grooved at their ends at the side, theremovable Wedge-shaped keys which force the notched securing-slats intoengagement with the sides of the notches in the head, and the encirclingbands, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a ventilating fruit or vegetable crate,

10 the combination, with the notched heads, of

the laterally movable or adjustable notched

